Grants for registering trademarks, designs, and patents in 2026

EUROPE

Grants for registering trademarks, designs, and patents in 2026

January 27, 2026

On February 2, 2026, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) will launch the SME Fund 2026 “Ideas Powered for Business,” a package of grants aimed at SMEs and self-employed individuals based in the European Union who wish to protect their Intellectual Property rights.

SME Fund 2026 | Funds for SMEs and the self-employed

SME Fund 2026 is a program which involves the issuance of bonds to partially cover fees for trademarks, designs, patents, and community plant varieties.

There is a maximum limit on bonds, which are also awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is important to start the application process as soon as possible.

Furthermore, it is important to know the following key points:

Bonds are not retroactive: costs incurred before the date of notification of the grant decision will not be reimbursed;
An SME cannot apply for a grant from this Fund if it has already received EU funding for the same activity or part of it;
Bonds only apply to the registration of new Intellectual Property rights.

Grants for registering a trademark or design (Voucher 2)

Voucher 2 reduces the costs of registering a trademark or design (up to € 700):

75% reimbursement of trademark and design fees at EU level;
75% reimbursement of trademark and design fees at national and regional level;
50% reimbursement of trademark and design fees outside the EU.

Grants for registering a patent (Voucher 3)

Voucher 3 reduces the costs in the following situations:

75% reimbursement of the fees for a "Prior Art Search Report" and for national patent applications (up to € 1,000);
75% reimbursement of filing and search fees for European patents filed at the European Patent Office (up to € 1,000);
50% reimbursement of legal costs for European patent application drafting and filing (up to € 1,500).